Ivy at the Shore

11/30/2007 Posted by marpop

I have been to The Ivy on Robertson and that place is so overhyped & overpriced (not to mention the food sux), but this location across from the Santa Monica pier is fantastic! I've been here several times and each time I am surprised at how good it is (I had such low expectations at first based on my experience at Robertson). The last time I was here was for dinner (group of 4 w/o a reservation on a Friday nite) and were seated promptly and had friendly service. Yes, their famed gimlet is WAAAAYY too strong even though i asked for mine to be mild, but everything from the moist, flaky, flavorful halibut to the seafood broth entree to the crab cakes and grilled veggies, was yummy. (Although, yes, the taco salad was a bit blah.) The brown bread is not my favorite, but everyone else always loves it. In spite of my disdain for places that are super-hyped, I have to admit that Ivy @ the Shore is consistently impressive.

Pros: Great service, very flavorful seafood

Cons: Gimlets aren't as good as they say

11/23/2007 Posted by devanlane54

WORST AUTOMOSPHERE. WORST SERVICE. WORST FOOD. WORST PRICES. My ears are still ringing. DONT BOTHER. You are OVER-PAYING for the possibility of seeing a celebrity. THATS IT. If you want good food, go somewhere else.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

05/01/2007 Posted by gemarshall

I have been going to the Ivy for over 25 years. The Robertson location is more romantic but the Ivy at the Shore is right behind them and gaining. The food is the best attraction by far...drinks are a definite second and the service is second to none. By the way; this is what you pay the big dollars for...I call it the trifecta for restaurants....the best of ALL three categories! A lot of restaurants may have one or two of the above; but how often do you find ALL three. Personally speaking the value is also in the large portions; one entree can be shared by two...however I prefer my own...I don't want to share. OK there are three entrees I can recommend; of course the "Cajun" Soft shell crab, the Cajun "Prime Rib" and my son's favorite is the lobster enchilada's. The experience at the Ivy is very consistent....if you go say hello to William the Manager he is the Best!

01/09/2007 Posted by vodu_doll

This place has fresh and amazing oysters! I like to come here just for the appetizers...they have a wonderful seafood menu and the food is prepared expertly. If you get nothing else, order up a freshly made Mai Tai--no syrupy solution in this one, it is all real fruit juice made right in front of you. They have made me a Mai Tai snob!

Pros: Great Oyster! Great Cocktails! Valet Parking, Beach

Cons: Expensive

11/23/2006 Posted by davidsreview

The Ivy in a nutshell: superb food and service. The old location on Ocean was more romantic, especially the patio, but it's not horrible. However, the price point is stupid, similar in offensiveness to Mr. Chow in Beverly Hills. Portions are very good, but there's no way that you'd call this place a good value. At the end of the day, you're paying a huge premium to eat with other well-heeled (or highly-leveraged) patrons. The best drink is the gimlet.

Pros: great food and service

Cons: Pricey?? You bet it is. Lousy value

06/14/2006 Posted by ktlh2

I agree with the pricing...it seems that 27 must be someone's favorite number...$27 that is. I admit the waiters were attentive and my plate was full so they did not skimp on the portions. My tuna was very tasty and cooked just right. Our view from the front porch was the best but it did get crowded towards the end of our meal. Not a lot of elbow room when the patio is full. Light and airy for a real southern CA feeling.

Pros: Patio view, atmosphere, waitstaff

Cons: Price

11/11/2005 Posted by cwk13

Location is excellent during the day or at sunset, but afterwards you will be simply be watching traffic on route 1 at this "beachfront" establishment. Excellent service. Prices are insulting. I am sure they are giddy at how many people pay such outrageous prices for fried chicken, "woodfired" pizza and spagetti.

Pros: Patio, Service

Cons: Prices, Crowded, Prices

11/09/2005 Posted by bd36576

Everytime I have come here the service has been fantastic! It almost makes the terribly high food prices seem acceptable. Though I do realize that we are helping them pay for their prime real estate, the prices are so high for the simplest of foods that it verges on plain silly. We most recently went for brunch and again the food was delicious and the service was professional. The servers there never kiss our butts or hover or neglect us. They simply do perfectly.

Pros: location, service

Cons: price, parking

08/11/2005 Posted by ejergens

I have been with my honey for a couple years now. Coming here made us feel like we were "new". I picked this place because it was a special occasion for us. I've heard the BH location is better, but I much prefer the beach. We had a dark corner table right a dusk. The boardwalk was all alit and the ocean was on fire. Beautiful! I had the most awesome "Grilled Vegetable Salad w/ Grilled Shrimp"! It was an entree dish and I was in the mood for light. My honey had the Swordfish, he liked it alot! It was a very memorable and romantic evening. One I still think about. Hope you try it!

Pros: Romantic, Delicious, Great Locale

06/28/2005 Posted by lord_humongous

Located right near the Santa Monica Pier, Ivy at the Shore is a great place to have a very nice meal and spot a few celebrities. They make great smoothies and amazing desserts. And while the service is not astounding, it is definitely better than the Ivy in Beverly Hills.

Pros: Great Desserts, Great Food, Location

Cons: No Parking